The present invention relates to a device for treatment of workpieces and, more particularly, to electrochemical treatment device and can be used for treatment of a metallic workpiece with electrolyte and subsequently washing it with a washing medium.
Known in the art is a device for electrochemical treatment of workpieces having a working chamber which houses a tool and a workpiece. Electrolyte is delivered into the working gap between the tool and the workpiece from an electrolyte feed tank whereto this electrolyte is discharged after the treatment of the workpiece is completed.
The workpiece thus treated is then transferred to another device for subsequent treatment, i.e. washing. While the workpiece is exposed to air, the substances resulting from the processing are deposited on the workpiece surface and the subsequent treatment of the workpiece becomes difficult to carry out.
There is also known a device for electrochemical treatment of workpieces wherein the workpiece is washed in position directly after treatment.
This device has a working chamber housing the tool and the workpiece with a working gap therebetween, and into this working gap electrolyte and a washing medium are alternately delivered through a common conduit joining respective separate conduits for the electrolyte and the washing medium after their junction. The electrolyte and the washing medium are carried off separately with the aid of a change-over means actuating the delivery of the workpiece of the electrolyte or the washing medium and the discharge thereof, after the workpiece is machined, into the electrolyte feed tank and into a drain, respectively.
The change-over means for actuating the delivery to the workpiece of the electrolyte or the washing medium and their discharge after the machining incorporates separate valves in each of said conduits, on which conduits respective pumps are also installed. On applying voltage to the tool and the workpiece, electrolyte is delivered by means of the respective pump from its feed tank along its respective conduit through its valve and further, along the common conduit, into the working gap between the workpiece and the tool and is then carried off from the working chamber through a conduit into an intermediate chamber separate from the latter. By means of a separate pump, the electrolyte is directed through a conduit and a separate valve back into the feed tank. On the completion of treatment, the valves located on the conduits for the electrolyte are closed, and the respective pump supplies the washing medium into the working gap, this washing medium passing through its respective conduit, valve and the common conduit, and cleaning at the same time, the whole system. After the workpiece is washed, the washing medium is carried off from the working chamber through the same conduit as the electrolyte into the same intermediate chamber and therefrom, with the aid of a separate pump, into a drain. To treat a subsequent workpiece, the working cycle is repeated.
As follows from the foregoing description, all the valves in the known apparatus are controlled separately, which results in more complex construction of the apparatus and its lowered operational reliability.